Location and date of Oesau picture required.

[tcolvin]

Can anyone please identify where and when this picture was taken.
And is Oesau wearing a British flying jacket?

The caption is; "Major Oesau an seiner Me 109, der, wie Oberstleutnant Luetzow, mehr als 100 Luftsiege errang".
Photo: PK Melichor
Dimension of print: 11.5 x 10 inches.

This is one of a series of 28 such prints in my possession, all of Messerschmitt aircraft (Me 108, Me 109, and Me 110), taken in many locations, including over the Channel coast, Paris, North Africa and Smolensk that would appear to be Messerschmitt publicity/advertising photos that were issued, presumably, in 1941/1942.
They are war booty.

Tony

[Kutscha]

I count 39 victory marks. On Thursday, 5 February 1941 claimed his 40th victory(a Hurricane over Desvres, France). Could be a photo taken because of this victory, him being the 4th highest scoring LW ace.

III,/JG3 was based at Desvres from 8.8.40 - 16.2.41

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Oesau
http://www.ww2.dk/air/jagd/jg3.htm

[Red Baroness]

This is Balthasar's plane, so we are assuming '41 or so for the date. Oesau, as far as my research has shown, wasn't a man to have kill markings on his tail, or so the tale is told.

Re the jacket - it appears so -I have also viewed pictures of Galland wearing similar.

I have in my possession a couple more B&Ws from around the same time - must have been some sort of photo-moment-documentary going on.

[Kutscha]

Thanks for that tid-bit about Oesau RB.

If it is Balthasar's plane (I believe you) as you say then the photo had to be probaly taken in May-June 1941.

RB, can you explain the different victory markings?

[Red Baroness]

No problem, Kutscha!

The down-pointing arrows I believe were in reference to kills made on the ground, the up-pointing to kills in the air.

[Don Pearson]

I counted 27 "up" arrows. Balthasar is known to have claimed his 27th on 27.9.40. He is credited with 2 more while with III./JG 3.

Oesau took over III Gruppe 11.11.40.

m.t.c.

Don

[tcolvin]

Thank you Cori and Kutscha.

Cori, if you want a high quality scan of the picture for your book, you only have to ask.

One more question, please.
How did it work when a Gruppenkommandeur had his own aircraft, on which he painted his score, and that aircraft became unserviceable because, say, it needed an engine change or repair to battle damage?

Tony

[VtwinVince]

I believe this photo dates to the BoB, during the period when Balthasar was wounded, September 1940. My uncle took over the III. Gruppe during this period, "stellvertretend".

[tcolvin]

Yes, Don; there are 26 up arrows visible, and possibly another one behind Oesau's left shoulder above the 'N' in Nr.1559, making 27.
Cori's B&W photos may show more.

Tony

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Hello!
A similar picture ( with a War Correspondant alongside Oesau ) appear on the book: "La Luftwaffe attaque à L´Ouest, 1939-1942" by French Historian Jean-Bernard Frappé - Editions Heimdal, pg.54 ( last picture ).
Mrs Cori is right...this is indeed Balthasar machine.
Oesau received the RK after 20 kills, which he achieved on the 20th August 1940. While this picture was taken he had 39 victories to his credit ( so we assume it was taken before his 40th kill which ocurred on the 5 February 1941 ).
I will try to scan the picture and put it here tomorrow for you.
Yours
Adriano Baumgartner